Man V Squirrel, this time I'll win! (1 Viewer)

[PaulMulholland]

I've been fighting a losing battle recently with my friendly neighbourhood tree rats, all my feeders were on a trellis nailed to my neighbours wall which gave the squirrels easy access. A couple of years back I tried hanging fat ball from the whirligig (rotary clothes dryer), but when I came home from working offshore for a month the squirrels hadn't just stolen the balls, they had bitten through the lines too. So, I've had a bit of a brainwave but it also threw up a problem; I'm thinking about smearing vaseline on the pole to stop the squirrels climbing up, but as it is in the middle of the garden and is further away from cover than the trellis, will it deter birds?

I always get my best ideas after a few beers... B

 

[KC Foggin]

Hi Paul

Vaseline is not a good idea. If it should get on a bird's feathers, they're in trouble.

A very good squirrel deterrent is the hottest red pepper you can find. I use a product called "squirrel away" and I gotta tell you it works like a charm keeping the squirrels, raccoons and opossums away from the feeder. Best of all, the birds don't care as they don't taste it.

 

[PaulMulholland]

I've been trying with chilli powder, but it has made no difference. I thought it was successful when the squirrel jumped off and startrd licking it's paws, then it started raining and washed everything away. I was planning on only smearing the vaseline on the lower portion of the pole, high enough to stop squirrels climbing up but low enough that birds wouldn't be bothered by it. Although, as it is a vertical pole, the only way a bird would come into contact with it is by a direct hit?

 

[King Edward]

Have you tried reapplying the chilli a few times? If you persist with it you might get the message across and stop them coming back even when there's no chilli there. Although, it might take a while now that they've got accustomed to coming for the food.

Alternatively, how about a kind of slippery baffle over the pole to stop them climbing up?

 

[Mary]

I found a piece of plastic drain pipe worked, as they can't grip it as they can the small diameter pole. But I don't know if you'll be able to get it over the washing pole though.

 

[KC Foggin]

Although, as it is a vertical pole, the only way a bird would come into contact with it is by a direct hit?

I see many birds perch on a vertical pole so I would be a bit leery using it at all

 

[Joe1980]

I've read that chili powder or finer grain pepper can be bad if it ends up in the birds' eyes.

 

[KC Foggin]

I've read that chili powder or finer grain pepper can be bad if it ends up in the birds' eyes.

I was wondering about that happening as well. Thankfully, to date, I've seen no evidence of it but you never know.

 

[etudiant]

Hi Paul,
You've got the whirligig, you're home free.
All you need is a squirrel baffle, such as here:
http://www.duncraft.com/index/page/...category_chain/84/product_name/Squirrel+Guard

Of course, as a guy who works offshore, you might be quite capable of building your own, for a lot less.

I've tried them, they work well.
The only issue is that squirrels can jump, so the baffle and the fatballs have to be several feet off the ground.

 

[PhilW]

I've been fighting a losing battle recently with my friendly neighbourhood tree rats, all my feeders were on a trellis nailed to my neighbours wall which gave the squirrels easy access. A couple of years back I tried hanging fat ball from the whirligig (rotary clothes dryer), but when I came home from working offshore for a month the squirrels hadn't just stolen the balls, they had bitten through the lines too. So, I've had a bit of a brainwave but it also threw up a problem; I'm thinking about smearing vaseline on the pole to stop the squirrels climbing up, but as it is in the middle of the garden and is further away from cover than the trellis, will it deter birds?

I always get my best ideas after a few beers... B

Paul
As long as you grease the vertical pole it won't affect the birds feathers. I use WD 40 to stop the grey tree rats climbing to the feeders and seeing the look on their faces as they slide down is priceless!

 

[vintagechick]

I found a great deal at the local Ace Hardware. It's a "squirrel-proof" birdfeeder that works with the weight of the squirrel. When the squirrel jumps on, it closes the holes in the feeder. It was normally $50 and I got it on sale for $19.99. So far, so good.

I also have safflower seed in a non-squirrel-proof feeder. So far, though, not many birds have shown an interest in it. The squirrels, who usually feasted on it, have avoided it.

I do enjoy the squirrel antics, so I buy peanuts in the shell and toss them out in the front and back yards for them. Today I had 4 squirrels, a Stellar's Jay and 4 Scrub Jays looking for peanuts in the front yard. We have a boxwood hedge that I toss them on and the squirrels look so cute rummaging through there.

CindyB

 

[Andy Thatcher]

I started my squirrel war about 4 months ago and while it is still early to declare victory I think I am close !

I have 2 8ft x 4 inch poles sunk 2 feet into the ground 16 feet apart with a plank between them. I have a 10 foot x 3 foot table on the plank and 6 feeders hanging from the plank.

Squirrels were an issue. I counted 25 on the feeding station one day and that was enough.

My resolution was actually rather cheap. I went to Home Depot, B & Q to those of a UK disposition literally the same company, anyway...I bought 2 4 foot x 6 inch air conditioning duct tube. Put it together and slipped them down the poles and nailed them into place.

Job done !

 

[anythingbutsquirrels]

The problem of squirrel managment is a tough task. They are very smart and learn rather quickly. Here is what I have learned in my experience with this challenge.
1. with any feeder hung on a pole/branch etc...you must have at least 15" clearance sides and bottom.
2. Seed ports must be at least 15" from the closest "squirrel gripping point" such as hanging down from the top.
3. Feed holes must be recessed to avoid the "shake and bake", the critter jumping and shaking seed to the ground.
4. Should not contain moving parts that can rust or require batteries.
5. If he gets a seed he is coming back, so dwell time around the seed ports must be near zero every time.

Bottom line: I have been at this for a while, the trick is to "manage" what the squirrel can do, not "preventing" what he can do...because they can do anything.

 

[Joe1980]

I prevent squirrels from bothering the birds by giving them food. Ever since I started to just feed them, my bird feeding experience is stress free, and my birds eat in peace because the squirrels eat at their own feeding station.

Oh, and as for the "squirrel-proof" feeder with the trap door, the one VintageChick speaks of, I got a John Deere one for Christmas years back, and it worked for about 15 minutes, until they figured out that they can sit and the roof and just reach down to grab seed. I also know someone with one of those battery operated ones that when a squirrel lands on it, it spins around. Their squirrels figured out that if they just hang on and spin for a while, the batteries die, and its chow time after that!

So, all in all, good luck in the fight, but for me, I happily get to watch all my critters eat.

 

[vintagechick]

Joe, maybe I have some not-so-bright squirrels, but I haven't seen any figure out a way around the squirrel-proof feeder yet. :t: Since we get a lot of rain (an understatement the last few days!) I have a rain dome over the feeder. Maybe that makes it harder for the squirrels to hang down and get to the openings? Who knows, maybe they will have it figured out soon.

It could also be that the squirrels like the peanut butter I've been smearing on a few tree trunks in other parts of the yard. If you can't beat them, lure them to another part of the yard.

Also, I still have very few visitors to the safflower seed feeder. Sure, the squirrels aren't raiding it, but I have only seen a couple of birds on it. What birds like safflower seed?

CindyB

 

[Joe1980]

What bird like safflower??? Hmm, well, supposedly cardinals, but in my experience, they'll choose sunflower over safflower any day. The only bird I have ever seen eat safflower when I tried it was mourning doves. They'll eat pretty much anything, which is rather annoying. They used to only eat my mixed seed, but now they seem to have a taste for my black oil sunflower. I get a little peeved when 40 of them descend on my feeders and QUICKLY (which is an understatement) siphon up all my sunflower seed, then go sit in the tree to digest it. Ok, back to safflower. I don't feed it, and wouldn't spend the money on it, because it seems to be a last resort, and other seed is chosen first.

 

[etudiant]

Hi Joel,
Cardinals, Nuthatches, Chickadees and Titmice will happily take safflower, especially if the other feeders that have more popular fare such as sunflower hearts are mobbed. However, as you have already discovered, one must be prepared for Mourning Doves settling in for a protracted stay, particularly if you add a seed tray to limit the spillage.

 

[vintagechick]

If I could lure a cardinal out to the west coast, I'd buy a silo of safflower seed! LOL. I wish cardinals lived around here. I'lll settle for Nuthatches, Chickadees and Titmice eating the safflower seed.

We do have a pair of mourning doves that I see now and then. I love to hear their call when I'm working in my yard. They haven't made pests of themselves at the feeders...yet.

CindyB

 

[Nature__lover]

You could solve the problem in a friendly way- by getting a squirrel feeder and placing it at a completely different part of the garden to the bird feeders.
or just putting peanuts out on the floor .

 

[jpscloud]

I don't get squirrels here but at my parents' house there's loads. They don't seem able to get much joy from the shepherd's crook feeders, but they do enjoy grabbing anything put out on the ground and burying it with great enthusiasm, including bread!